More than half of Australians with investment properties or shares are proactively preparing for retirement, according to MLC’s Australia today report[1]. In comparison, only 15% of people without investment properties or shares feel prepared for retirement. It’s clear investing is one way to significantly boost confidence in retirement. The “Retirement-ready” movement We’ve all read the […]

The money people owe, in comparison to the money they earn has almost tripled in Australia over the last two decades, with average household debt currently sitting at around $245,000[1]. Looking at credit card debt alone, the average card holder owes around $4,300 and is paying about $700 in interest annually. That’s more than $32 […]

The government has announced changes to three key 2016 Federal Budget proposals — the most significant being that it would not go forward with its proposal to introduce a $500,000 lifetime cap on non-concessional (after-tax) super contributions. In a nutshell the new proposals include: – From 1 July 2017, the existing annual cap of $180,000 […]

There’s something extremely satisfying about bringing a broken property back from the brink. So satisfying, in fact, that it turns from a hobby into a full-blown career for some. But how can you get started on buying your first fixer-upper? How is it different from purchasing an established property? And what considerations do you have […]

Whenever you carry out a home loan rates comparison, you’ll need to take all sorts of different factors into consideration. From the interest you’ll be expecting to pay, to the term of the mortgage. These are all features that can have an impact on your final decision. There are also certain charges you will need […]

Buying, renovating and selling a home quickly can be a fast-track to property investment success. On the flip-side however, mismanagement of your investment or buying without knowing the lay of the land, can quickly change your dream into a nightmare. To help make sure your real estate doesn’t cause you night terrors, we’ve whipped up […]

If you’re an enterprising Australian, you might be considering starting your own business. It’s exciting to turn small beginnings into your primary source of income (or even a national corporation!), but in order to get started, you’ll have to find the capital. Money doesn’t grow on trees, so what are your options when seeking business […]

Australians aged over 55 who may be looking for ramped up returns are most likely to fall prey to scams. Over the last year 105,000 Australians have fallen victim to financial scams, collectively losing $85 million to fraudsters – an average of $26,408 per person. This represents a 15% rise in the incidence of scams […]

You would have heard the saying: “where there’s a will, there’s a way”. This statement is usually used to encourage people who are losing enthusiasm for a task or goal. But it also reflects the way many people feel about estate planning. They think that so long as you have a will, you have a […]

For most of us ‘spending’ is the first thing that springs to mind when we have money. So when a financial adviser suggests the idea of having a ‘budget’ most of us recoil in horror. It’s because many people believe that budgeting is all about sacrifice – in other words, having to cut back on […]